In martial arts, we must look at different levels where we can observe an unbalance. Sometimes, we are our worse ennemi and we are creating our own unbalance which might cause a domino's effect.
Etiquette and dojo protocols: (礼儀: Reigi in Japanese)
Recently, a beginner student was stressing because he didn’t know anything, and he was a little bit impatient after a few days of training. I shared with him that learning proper etiquette and dojo protocols are the priority and it is easy to become good at.
The most important rule is cleanliness and hygiene and then to be on time for class. Example: If a student comes to class with long nails, then it might be dangerous to other students because they could get cut and bleed. It is a very simple task to do to avoid an accident and to keep everyone safe. If students don’t follow simple protocols, it creates chaos and disorganization in the dojo. It indicates that, even though it might only be a hobby for them, they are not serious in their studies. It is important for the dojo-cho to require that protocols are followed.
There should not be any openings in martial arts.
2. The teacher:
if the teacher is not reliable and if he says something and doesn’t follow through then it creates disappointment. If the teacher is late to class and unreasonable. The teacher should not share his personal life including news, drama, movies during the class because it is a distraction, and some students might be uncomfortable.
I always say that actions speak louder than words. If I cannot do something, then I am not going to say something to be a nice person. Teacher should always start the class on time and end on time. If the teacher is late to class, then he or she should communicate to a sempai(senior) student to start the class and then apologize to all students at the end of the class and thank the sempai. The teacher needs to stay humble and he needs to stay focus on the subject matter. The teacher should be courteous, respectful, and patient. We are teaching a martial art, so the teacher must make sure that students are practicing safely and seriously.
There should not be any openings in martial arts.
3. Promoting a healthy diet:
Eating regular healthy meals is crucial to the student’s training. If a student doesn’t eat all day and then comes to training, he might faint or suddenly get very fatigued during the class. It is essential for students to eat before training. Students should eat a normal meal 3-4 hours before and maybe a light snack before the class. Too much and too little are not good. In oriental medicine, there is a rule that states that to replenish the Qi/Ki, a meal is required every four hours.
There should not be any openings in martial arts.
4. Avoid Martial art’s injuries:
A dojo is a microcosm of our society so following those simple rules help students to organize their lives and to be focused. We all started a martial art for different reasons and to be able to defend ourselves. Learning simple daily life skills will help the student to stay balanced and more productive in its everyday life.